Required Service
by Jackie99
Summary: Jim Hawkins has to fulfill his school's service hour requirement. In desperation, he decides to work for the Dopplers. Read on to find out what happens next!
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Well, I'm back after…well, a long time (for those of you who had previously read my stories!). Anyway, I appreciated all of those who took the time to write new reviews for my old fanfics. I hope this story will be funnier than anything I've written yet. Even though my earlier stuff had taken place on earth, this one takes place on Montressor. If you don't like my humor or writing style, please don't be nasty with reviews. That having been said, read on!

Disclaimer: Nope, I do not own Treasure Planet or any of the characters.

Jim Hawkins slouched against an overstuffed sofa in the Doppler's living room. A fire was crackling merrily in the fireplace while sleet outside hissed against the windows. _I'm glad I beat the storm _the teen thought. His walk from the Benbow Inn to the Doppler mansion usually took about twenty minutes. It was a good thing for him that the hailstorm began right when he reached the doctor's front door.

The teen began to tap the polished wooden floor with his scuffed boots. Time was ticking, and he had to find someone willing to let him do chores in order to fulfill his school's service hour requirement. Delbert had been enthusiastic about taking up Jim's offer, but he had insisted that Amelia agree as well.

"You know how _I_ would love to have you frolicking about our humble abode. However, we must have my wife sign your servitude hour slip," Delbert had said in response to the teen. The doctor had made that statement before mysteriously dashing upstairs.

A creaking noise made the teen look up; the doctor was coming back down. The astrophysicist was armed with a large box.

"What the---" Jim started to say.

Delbert beamed. "My boy, let's play Charades. Amelia seems to be delayed, so I thought we could pass the time---"

"By dressing as ladies? I don't think so," Jim interrupted. He was eyeing a frilly hat that was threatening to fall out of the bulging box.

The doctor set his treasure down on the wooden floor. "This will be _fun_, Jim! And, I guarantee that there are plenty of…ahem…_straight_ costumes in here."

"Fine," Jim muttered.

Delbert placed an affectionate hand on the teenager's shoulder. "That's the spirit!"

The astrophysicist got up and picked up a bowl that was sitting on top of a bulging bookcase. The container was filled with slips of paper.

"Amelia and I play this game every now and then," Delbert confided in his guest. He placed the bowl on a coffee table.

Jim grinned. "The Captain plays this game? No way!"

"Well…she played it _once_…"

Jim raised an eyebrow.

Delbert melted. "Um, I believe she was turned off after picking a piece of paper that read 'a _stripper_.' I certainly never put such a thing in the bowl…it was certainly very odd."

Jim snorted, trying to smother a grin. A few weeks ago, he had added a few slips of his own during a dinner invitation.

"Well, let's get started! You first, Jim…I'll close my eyes while you pick a scandalous—I mean---a _suit_able costume," Delbert announced.

Sighing, the teen fished around the bowl and withdrew a piece of paper that read, 'Sherlock Holmes.' Delbert was very enthused about old earth novels and characters.

Getting up, Jim approached the box and sorted through the clothes. He chose a deerstalker hat, a magnifying glass, and a tan trench coat.

"Okay, ready," Jim said. He tried to assume a dramatic pose worthy of the dignified detective.

Delbert adjusted his glasses. "Aha! Sherlock Holmes!"

Jim grinned. Closing his eyes, he waited for Delbert. He heard a sigh then the rustling sound of clothes.

"Alright, Jim…"

The teen saw the doctor dressed in a tight-fitting, plum purple dress. The astrophysicist swayed on three inch stilettos.

Jim grimaced. "Doc, I haven't a clue."

Delbert looked indignant. "I don't believe you cannot identify Miss Marple!"

The teenager shrugged. He should have guessed.

Just then, the front door slammed shut. Jim and the doctor froze, eyeing each other in horror.

"Good gracious!" murmured Delbert. The feather on top of his lilac-colored hat quivered. Both of them could hear Captain Amelia's characteristically swift strides coming closer and closer.

The tall officer reached the living room. The sleet and ice had completely coated her uniform. Tiny icicles dangled from her tri-corner hat. Her emerald eyes narrowed upon registering Delbert and Jim, who were cowering next to the bookcase in a failed attempt to hide from her field of vision.

"Nice to see you're home!" called the doctor.

Jim forced himself to grin. "Yeah."

The captain swiped off her hat, which, because it was frozen, made a thunderous noise as it landed on top of the coffee table.

"Delbert. Please explain why you and…Hawkins…are posing like perverted statues." The astrophysicist, who had pressed himself against the side of the bookcase, attempted to clarify the situation.

"Well…Jim needed you…and we decided to spend the time disrobing---ah---dis_play_ing creativity while playing Charades."

Amelia rolled her eyes. "That activity of yours is utterly gruesome."

Jim choked out a laugh, imaging what the captain's face must have looked like when she read the slip of paper that he had added to the bowl.

"James, your explosion of merriment is disturbing; state what is on your mind."

Delbert hastily spoke up before the teen could reply. "Actually, Amelia, he would like to ask your permission regarding some…scholarly activity."

The young captain raised an eyebrow at Jim, but started to walk towards the staircase.

"Very well. I will discuss this with you after I get out of this sodden uniform," she stated, marching up the stairs.

Jim heaved a sigh as soon as Amelia was out of earshot. "Jeez, Doc, is she always this way?"

Delbert readjusted his glasses. "Always what way?"

"Never mind. Let's clean up this stuff up so I can quickly get her to sign my paper. I'm late enough as it is."

The two of them tore off their costumes, jammed them into the large box, and ascended the wide staircase.

"If that game ruins my chance of doing service hours at your house, you owe me," the teen hissed.

Delbert looked mildly insulted. "My boy, there is nothing wrong with having a little amusement."

Jim rolled his eyes. "Remember to write that on my tombstone."

They approached the top of the staircase. Delbert immediately ran into the master bedroom. The teenager could hear the doctor uttering faint, soothing explanations to his wife about charades…at least, that's what it sounded like through the wall. Jim snickered. He wondered if the Dopplers _ever_ had a normal day.

The wooden door flew open and Amelia strode out wearing dark pants and an off-duty pea coat. Delbert, cowering in the bedroom, peevishly gestured at Jim to follow the captain down the hallway.

Amelia entered her office and sat down behind a massive desk. Jim felt that he had been summoned to see the principal.

"Uh…" he began.

The captain languidly waved a hand at the teen. "Hand me your paper so we can get this over with as soon as possible."

_This is going great_ Jim thought. Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, he fished around in his pockets and retrieved his permission slip, which, by this time, was heavily wrinkled.

Amelia, with a faint look of disgust, took the paper from Jim and smoothed it out on her desk. She grabbed a fountain pen and aggressively scribbled her signature into the document.

"Very well. Should I expect to see you tomorrow?"

Jim took the paper. "Yeah…I mean, yes ma'am."

Amelia raised a cunning eyebrow. "Excellent."

Author's note: I know it's short, but I will make the forthcoming chapters longer…this one here is a bit of an introduction. I hope you enjoyed it!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thank you Christian Aero-Captain, Kaptain Kitty, and treasureplanet-gurl for your nice reviews. They keep me going! ALSO: if any of you guys have any suggestions for upcoming chapters, don't hesitate to tell me. I always need fresh ideas! (I'll do almost any scenario you give me as long as it doesn't push a PG-13 rating). LOL.

Disclaimer: Nope, I do not own Treasure Planet or any of the characters.

Jim grumpily eyed his oatmeal and aimlessly stirred it around with a spoon. Today was the first day of his service to the Dopplers and he was not particularly looking forward to it. For one thing, it was seven in the morning. Jim hated getting up early---especially for something he didn't really want to do.

Sarah Hawkins passed by, already armed with a large cooking bowl that contained a lump of dough. Morph whistled and chirped around her head.

"Sweetheart…why the long face?" she asked, affectionately running a flour-covered hand through her son's hair.

Jim watched the thick oatmeal ooze off of the spoon. "Uh, isn't it obvious? I have to work---repeat---work for the Dopplers today." The only thing he could picture right now was Amelia's leering face as he did some demeaning chore.

Sarah started to knead the dough. "You haven't even _done_ anything yet," she pointed out.

Jim snorted, remembering yesterday's doomed Charades game. That was something, alright.

"Remember last year…when you had to do chores for Mrs. Dunwoody?" his mother continued. Flour exploded out of the dough with every punch she gave it.

The teenager rolled his eyes. Last year, in desperation, he had volunteered to work for the Benbow Inn's most frequent visitor. It turned out that the only thing Jim did was massage her knobby old head with ointment that smelled like old socks.

"Point taken, Mom," he replied, shivering. His hands had literally stunk for a week. Compared to that, what could the Dopplers---particularly the captain---ask him to do?

Sarah smiled and was about to say something when she sneezed. Flour shot out of her nose. Luckily, the inn keeper had turned away from the dough. Still, it was enough to make Jim grimace. Morph thought it was hilarious; he immediately turned himself into a miniature form of Sarah, complete with the white powder shooting out of her face.

"Why don't you take him with you?" Jim's mother asked, pointing a doughy hand at the quivering pink blob.

The teen gestured at Morph. "Let's go."

Yesterday's hail storm had luckily gone away. Only a stiff, cold breeze was left over. Jim led the way. He kicked at stray pebbles on the road while Morph jiggled behind him. In no time at all they approached the towering Doppler mansion.

"Well, this is it…" Jim muttered, knocking on the oak door. Minutes ticked by. Slightly irritated, the teenager tried to open it.

"What the hell---it's locked," the teenager said.

Morph giggled. "What the hell!" he repeated.

Jim rolled his eyes. Great. If Sarah ever caught the blob swearing---even in the mildest form---he was in trouble.

"They _have_ to be here…I don't get it," Jim continued, walking around the side of the house. All of the windows were tightly fastened----except for one. It was the farthest window on the second story. A white lace curtain seemingly beckoned to him as it blew softly in the breeze.

That's when the teen decided that he was going to climb up into the window. It was certainly possible that the good doctor had forgotten to unlock the front door. Delbert wasn't known for planning ahead.

Jim grasped a drain pipe and began to hoist himself up. Morph chattered nervously beside him.

"Don't worry," the teen panted. "There's nothing to worry about."

Unfortunately, the room with the open window was, in fact, the master bedroom. At that moment, both of the Dopplers were occupying it.

Delbert sat on the edge of the bed while reading from a fat textbook. The cold wind coming in from the window rapidly flipped the pages over. The astrophysicist grumbled and tried to find his place.

"Drat that infernal window," he said, to no one in particular. He tightened his bathrobe closer to himself.

Amelia, wrapped in a towel, walked out of the shower. "Why don't you close it?"

Delbert looked up. "My, don't you look ravishing today."

The captain rolled her emerald eyes. "Rubbish. There is nothing particularly glamorous about this towel."

The doctor quickly snapped his book shut and approached his wife. "Hmm. Maybe I can…fix that…"

Amelia, her back to the window, raised a slim eyebrow. "You have a fascinatingly foul mind, Delbert."

The astrophysicist leaned closer…and…caught a glimpse of Jim Hawkins in the window.

"Ahhhhh!" yelped Delbert.

Captain Amelia grasped the top of the towel to keep it from sliding off as her husband rushed to the window.

"Case in point," the officer muttered.

Delbert bodily blocked the window. "Ahhh…isn't this breeze numbingly romantic?"

Amelia narrowed her eyes as her husband started shivering. "Ordinarily, Delbert, I would ask you to step aside. However..."

A sudden strong breeze tore at Delbert's robe which had begun to slip anyway. Suddenly, the poor doctor was wearing nothing but navy blue Interstellar Academy boxers. His maroon robe lay crumpled on the carpet around his feet.

The captain smirked. "However, I sense that you are over excited."

Delbert flushed. He could either grab the robe and preserve what was left of his dignity or he could stand there and shield Jim, who was clutching at the window sill. He chose the latter.

The doctor grinned, trying to look convincing as he remained next to the window.

Shaking her head, Amelia marched towards the closet while eyeing Delbert suspiciously, grabbed some clothes, and locked the bathroom door shut. Delbert sighed with relief.

"Doc, let me in before I fall out," hissed Jim, struggling to hold onto the window sill.

The astrophysicist swiftly turned around and grabbed the teen's arms and started to haul him in. The teenager was surprisingly heavy.

Amelia, at that moment, walked out of the bathroom fully clothed in an off-duty uniform. Her wet hair made her look more severe than usual, and she was attacking it with a brush. This time, both of her eyebrows were raised as she saw Delbert's posterior hanging out of the window.

"Delbert. Explain yourself."

Her husband yelped and twisted himself back to face her. "Oh, um…I am…conducting a scientific experiment."

Amelia gestured at Delbert with her brush. "This tomfoolery must cease. Either you wipe that deceiving grin off your face or I will look out the window myself."

The doctor slumped. "Sweetheart, can we discuss this in the bed…ah, I mean, the bathroom?"

The officer glared at him, half amused, half irritated.

Outside, Jim was still dangling from the window. Beside him, Morph was giggling.

"C'mon, Delbert…" whispered the teen, his arms burning. The ground below him looked miles away. Jim started to question the wisdom of climbing the wall in the first place. However, there was no turning back.

After a few minutes, Jim couldn't hear Amelia and Delbert talking. _They must have left_, he realized. Using the remains of his strength, the teenager forced himself up and tumbled into the room. Morph danced above his head.

Oooh, a cliffhanger!! Will Jim get creamed by Amelia or will he be unnoticed? Okay, I know I didn't get around to making Jim do stuff for the Dopplers. I will in the next chapter. Also, I will try to make this story funnier once the chores start to develop.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N:

Treasureplanet-gurl: I'm glad that you liked my last chapter. Well, here's the answer to the cliffhanger!

Kaptain Kitty: Wow, that was the longest review ever and I loved it! Thanks for all of your wonderful suggestions…I used your scenario in this chapter.

WMEL: Hey, you're a new reviewer! Thanks for reading my story.

MissSwann91: Thanks for reviewing, too. I appreciate it a lot!!

Disclaimer: Nope, I do not own Treasure Planet or any of the characters.

Delbert leaned against the marble countertop in the bathroom. He knew that it was only a matter of time before his blabbering mouth gave Jim away. Amelia was definitely not stupid and she rarely tolerated foolishness. The doctor gulped; he would have to try anyway.

"Um…did I ever mention how much I love you?" he began.

Amelia narrowed her eyes into slits. "I will never cease to be amazed at the absolute _drivel_ that pours out of your mouth."

Delbert's eyes widened. "R-really? I can certainly produce more of it."

The captain leaned closer towards her husband. "Speaking of which…"

"Yes?"

"Perhaps you could produce an explanation for that incredibly fascinating 'scientific experiment' that involved the window."

Delbert frantically searched for the right words. "Ah…"

Jim paused outside the bathroom door while Morph continued to circle around his head. Judging from the conversation going on in the bathroom, he knew that time was slipping away. The teen's heart pounded. _Where should he hide_? It definitely sounded as if Amelia would dart back into the room at any second. Delbert's stammering would never detain her for long.

Jim nervously eyed the master bedroom. The king-sized four poster bed dominated much of the area. A generously-sized oak closet seemed like a prime hiding spot, but it was probably a place that a suspicious captain might examine first. The teen dashed towards the bed and looked beneath it. He cursed. All kinds of junk---all of it belonging to Delbert---had been stashed there. Jim could see old telescope bits and fat books with enticing titles like _Advanced Calculus and You: a Lifetime of Adventure_ and _Trigonometry is Terrific!_

Standing up, the teen was about to give up and surrender himself when he caught sight of the extra thick quilt that was draped over the bed.

"Morph, I think I can make it," he whispered.

Captain Amelia Doppler exploded out of the room with a stammering Delbert in tow. She immediately leaned out of the window.

"See? Nothing is out there, as I assured you," the doctor announced. He shivered as another gust of icy wind blew in.

Amelia slammed the window shut with more force than necessary. She looked utterly unsatisfied and began to scan the room with her eyes.

"Um…is anything the matter?" Delbert asked, unconsciously wringing his hands.

The captain brushed past him and headed towards the closet. She started to fish around the clothes but quickly discovered that no one was hiding there.

"Nothing," the officer stated, waving a dismissive hand. She walked towards the bed, still looking mightily suspicious and wary.

Delbert watched her odd trek around the bedroom. _Where was Jim?_ Obviously, the teen had left the window before Amelia had dashed over. Also, it was clear that Jim hadn't been lying in a mangled heap on the ground outside. With a sinking feeling, the astrophysicist knew where the teenager would hide.

Amelia swiftly looked underneath the bed. Delbert gasped and clasped his hands nervously.

His wife, still kneeling on the carpet, glared up at him. "I will ignore your sound effects, Delbert. However, I cannot turn a blind eye to all of these discarded objects underneath this bed."

The doctor signed silently to himself. Jim wasn't hiding there, either. He watched as Amelia stood up and dusted off nonexistent dust from her pants.

"Very well. This situation is quickly becoming tedious and is monopolizing my morning," she said.

Delbert sat on the bed. "In that case, why don't we…ah…finish it up?"

Amelia raised a slim eyebrow but grinned a cocky grin. "What are you suggesting?"

Underneath the thick quilt and layers of sheets, Jim Hawkins waited. His pulse pounded audibly in his ears. _What the heck was going on?_

The astrophysicist lay down on the bed and felt a strange mound beneath the quilt.

"These sensual---ah, _sheets_---are rather tangled," he commented.

Amelia leaned over him and smiled. "Your Freudian slips amuse me," she murmured.

Jim Hawkins tried to scream but the thick sheets filled his mouth. He was definitely getting more than he bargained for. The teen knew that his chances for entering the Interstellar Academy next year as a cadet were vanishing right now. Amelia would never write her promised recommendation after finding him burrowed in her bed. Morph, however, had other plans.

"Sensual sheets!" he parroted in his chirpy voice. The alien tried to float upwards but the sheets trapped him in.

Delbert frowned as the blankets started to rise. "Um, is it just me, or is the bed talking?" he asked his wife.

Amelia instantly realized what was going on. She peeled back the sheets and Morph hovered around her head. The pink blob hugged himself and started to giggle. The captain lunged for the alien but missed and fell on top of Jim.

"Um…room service?" said the teenager after Amelia pulled herself up.

"The hell you are, you…warped, befuddled hooligan," hissed the captain.

Delbert straightened his glasses. "Easy, Amelia…the boy is here, after all, to earn his service hours."

His wife was now standing beside the bed. "Mr. Hawkins. I should have surmised that a perverse individual such as yourself would…intrude…in such a manner."

Jim crossed his arms. "What, do you think I enjoyed this?"

Delbert clasped his hands together. "Naturally, Amelia, the lad _would_ have a curiosity in the affairs of married couples."

The teen's face flushed. "Doc. You know I wouldn't---"

The astrophysicist took on a fatherly look that made the jittery teen nauseous.

"Mr. Hawkins. May I remind you that your duties are limited only to household chores; you are here for character building, not for educational purposes relating to, shall we say, delicate matters," stated Amelia primly.

Delbert nodded emphatically. "Yes! It's your high school's job to properly educate you about such things."

Jim rolled his eyes. This had to be the most embarrassing day of his life. "Look, guys. Whatever…this is just a total misunderstanding…can I just to my chores?"

The captain nodded severely. "Go downstairs. We will discuss your service hours there shortly."

The couple watched as the teen sprinted out of the room.

Amelia's hardened glare melted away and a grin spread across her face. Then, she did something that was rather rare for her: she exploded into laughter.

A/N: Okay…I promise: next chapter WILL have funky chores and funnier stuff. I had to get the whole bedroom scene out of the way first before the fund and games start. Thank you Kaptain Kitty for giving me the idea for this chapter. I will also use your uniform idea, too (if not in the upcoming chapter then definitely the next one!).


	4. Chapter 4

A/N:

Kaptain Kitty: Here's another chapter…I'll definitely use your uniform idea in the next one. 

MissSwann91: Thanks for your kind review!

Disclaimer: Nope, I do not own Treasure Planet or any of the characters.

Jim mumbled and cursed to himself as he irritably looked through the Doppler's kitchen. Delbert and Amelia had decided to make the teen cook an entrée for dinner at the Benbow Inn. They thought that Jim's mother would like a break. Also, something created by her own son would sweeten the deal.

"This dinner idea is corny," the teenager hissed under his breath to no one in particular. He would have complained to Morph, but the shape-shifter had wandered off somewhere else.

Captain Amelia, who was seated at a nearby breakfast table, moodily flicked a newspaper in his direction. "Your fruitless mutterings are absolutely devoid of purpose, James."

Delbert winked at his wife. "Well said! Jim, my boy, once you stop being a fruit, there will be no going back." The doctor paused then smacked his forehead.

"Jeez, doc, you'd think your tongue was possessed," said Jim. He grabbed a mixing bowl and hefted it onto the marble countertop.

The astrophysicist looked baffled.

Amelia rolled her eyes and stood up. "Before this conversation becomes too obscene---" here she gazed pointedly at Jim---"I will make an exit."

The teen knew that the captain was going to do something with the _Legacy_. The ship was a demanding job even when it was stuck at the spaceport. With luck, the officer would be gone most of the day.

Delbert waved his wife goodbye and returned to the local newspaper.

Jim turned to the cookbook that was laid out on the countertop. The recipe was for a bean casserole. To the teenager, the entrée looked boring beyond belief. He shrugged and fished out canned beans from a shopping bag.

"Um, Doc? Do you have a can opener?" he asked, holding up a can.

The doctor peered up from the newspaper. "A can opener?"

"Yeah."

Delbert looked confused. "You know, Jim, I don't think we happen to possess one."

"You don't own one? Isn't that, like, something every kitchen should have?!"

The astrophysicist jumped up from the table. "Aha! I will go to your mother's charming inn and borrow one."

Jim crossed his arms. "Then, doesn't that defeat the purpose of making this 'secret' dinner?"

Delbert placed a patronizing hand on the teen's shoulder. "Trust me, my boy. I do happen to have…irritating---ah, _irresistible_----charm. By this afternoon, that can opener will be ours."

The muddled but enthusiastic astrophysicist leaped out of the kitchen and ran out the front door.

Jim shook his head. "Uh, Okay…"

Delbert, in his haste, had forgotten that he was still wearing his maroon bathrobe and pink slippers.

"What a morning," the teenager muttered to himself. He turned and examined the cookbook again. The whole recipe consisted of beans and tortillas; that was it. Jim knew that he had limited experience with cooking. The kitchen was Sarah's domain…no one else's.

"Open can of beans," Jim said aloud. He felt like ripping the stained cookbook apart. The day was barely off to a great start (thanks to the bedroom episode) and he was already stuck on the first instruction.

"Whatever…I'll just skip that part…" he sighed. He grabbed a heavy casserole pan from underneath the oven and placed it next to the beans. Jim opened up the tortilla package and lined the pan with them. Still, without the can opener, the teen was finished.

Jim grabbed the two cans of beans and placed them on the oven's eyes. He figured that while Delbert was obtaining the can opener, the beans could at least be heated.

"And that is that," Jim said after turning on the stove to a low setting. He rubbed his hands and grinned. If everything went right, then perhaps the bedroom incident could be forgotten. Captain Amelia would be appeased, his recommendation to the Interstellar Academy would be guaranteed, and everyone would be happy.

The teen was about to relax when he heard a vague pounding noise coming from the front of the house. Jim walked cautiously out of the kitchen. The staccato beat increased as the teenager walked closer to the door.

Jim wandered over to the side and peered out of a tall window. He could see that Delbert had returned. It seemed that the doctor had accidentally locked himself out. The chain-bolt rattled as Delbert shoved against the door.

"Infernal contraption!" yelled the astrophysicist. He agitatedly hurled himself at the door without much success.

Jim laughed. This was _too_ funny. He was about to get up and unlock the door when Delbert walked away.

"What's he doing now?" the teen mused. The doctor had picked up a gardening rake. With unexpectedly swift strides, Delbert was charging at the door like an enraged native with a spear. The handle-end of the rake struck first and, almost in slow motion, the entire door snapped off of its hinges. The chain lock screamed in resistance but also gave in to the force of Delbert's charge.

As the door fell over, the doctor soared majestically into the air, the rake still in his grip. His head and the business end of the rake slammed into a potted palm tree.

Jim slowly sat on the ground. All of this had started and ended in a matter of seconds.

Delbert immediately shook his head and stood up. Dust and debris flew off him in wispy clouds. Behind him, the small palm tree sagged from the impromptu collision.

"Doc! You just…broke…the door," cried Jim in broken tones of disbelief.

Delbert looked around him. "Good Lord, so I have," he replied.

"Couldn't you have knocked?! I was in the kitchen the whole time," Jim continued. His heart was pounding in shock.

"Hmm. That particular thought never occurred to me. Nevertheless, it _was_ a drastic, um, dramatic, entrance wasn't it?" the doctor mused, grinning crookedly.

The teen felt like his whole tenuous relationship with the Dopplers---at least with the captain---was now in ruins. Jim eyed the door, which was still intact except for the hinges and lock. On the other hand, the white wall surrounding the gap was cracked in various places thanks to the astrophysicist's charge.

Delbert seemed to realize the seriousness of the situation. "Don't worry, Jim. I'm sure that we can remedy this situation."

The teen flicked a weary hand towards the fallen door. "For some reason, I seriously doubt that."

Delbert speared the air with an enthusiastic finger. "Never say never, my boy!"

Jim skeptically crossed his arms.

The doctor examined the spidery cracks in the wall. "Jim, fetch the white-out paint from my desk. In the meanwhile, I will attempt to screw the door back."

The teen got up and dashed for his friend's office. He found the correctional fluid among stacks of unruly paper and leaky fountain pens.

In his absence, Delbert had managed to upright the door. It was obvious, though, that they would have to explain what happened to the broken lock. There was no way that they could replace it before Amelia returned from the spaceport.

Jim held up the white-out. "Okay, I got it. Do I apply it to the cracks?"

Delbert, who was on his knees examining the hinges, looked up. "Apply away, Jim."

The teen unscrewed the cap and started to swab the battered wall with the paint. Unfortunately, it was immediately clear that the white-out's color was no match for the wall. The pure white fluid stood out defiantly on the wall (which had a darker eggshell tone).

Jim swore out loud. "I wonder if the Captain will notice this," he stated, rolling his eyes.

Delbert saw the blotch on the wall and winced visibly. "Ah."

The teen's eyes darted from the doctor to the wall. "Doc, we have to fix this."

The doctor rubbed his chin in thought. Suddenly, he snapped his fingers.   
"Jim, my boy, there is one other solution we could try…"

Ten minutes later, the teenager was in the kitchen holding a simmering pot of Earl Grey tea. Delbert held a wide painting brush and followed Jim towards the resurrected door. Together, they somberly applied the tea to the dazzlingly white spotted wall.

"You see? It's working," the doctor announced in satisfaction. Jim stepped back. It was true; the white-out had, thanks to the tea, been neutralized. Unless someone seriously scrutinized the wall, one would never notice the underlying damage.

The teen was impressed. "I owe you one," he said.

Delbert was pleased. "Don't thank me, Jim! It was I, after all, who started this whole problem."

"Why don't we just stay in the kitchen and hang out there before more things go wrong," Jim suggested. He'd had enough of this day already.

"Agreed."

They retreated to the kitchen and sat down thankfully at the breakfast table. Jim fingered the discarded newspaper. Delbert nervously glanced at his watch. Both of them knew that Amelia should be back in a little while.

The doctor suddenly sniffed the air. "Mmm! What's that delightful odor?"

Jim jerked a thumb towards the oven, which sat behind him. "Beans."

Delbert squinted. "Um, am I delirious, or are the cans…moving?"

The teen spun around in his chair. The baked beans, still cooking on the eyes, were warping in the heat.

"Oh, no…" started Jim. At that second, both cans exploded.

Cliff hanger! Haha, will Jim and Delbert be able to get out of this mess or will the captain find them covered in hot beans? Anyway, thanks to all who read this funky chapter. I'll be at the beach for the next two weeks. However, I'll bring a laptop and TRY to get internet connection…we'll see what happens…


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own "Treasure Planet" or any of its characters.

A/N: Thank you for the many kind and encouraging reviews! I really appreciate them and I'm very sorry about the long wait for this update. College has kept me back for a bit (it's a little easier now that I've pulled out of Physics...sorry, Delbert!) so I hope I can write more in the future.

Jim sank to his knees as molten beans erupted into the air and splattered heavily all over the kitchen. The teen could vaguely hear Delbert cry out in surprise from somewhere in the room. He himself wanted to scream but no sound escaped his dry lips. Instead, he managed to raise a fist and shake it towards the heavens.

He finally forced himself to crack open his eyes. Sizzling beans had completely coated the stove, surrounding cabinets, and the counters.

Delbert turned a bean-encrusted face towards the teenager. "You know, Jim, this reminds me of an operation I was lucky enough to observe during my time at the university."

The teen could hear the beans hiss in his hair. "Yeah...in a little bit, my body will resemble those beans after your wife comes back."

"Nonsense, my boy! You'll just receive a sensuous---ah, a _sound_ verbal thrashing."

Jim rolled his eyes. "Thanks, Doc."

Delbert stared off into space, apparently imagining Amelia reprimanding Jim with descriptive, polysyllabic words. A dreamy, dumb little smile spread across the astrophysicist's face.

"Uh, Doc? Hello? We kinda need to figure out how to fix this," Jim said, waving an impatient hand towards the puddles of beans.

Delbert shook his head. "Ahem. Right."

Jim sat on the kitchen floor. "Well? Any ideas?!"

"Patience, my dear boy. Let me...aha! We could explain to Amelia that you decided to express your typical teenage angst by creating an abstract art form."

The teen reached over and grabbed Delbert's nightgown around the neckline. "Are you _serious?_ That might work with my mom, but with _the captain?_"

Delbert maintained his earnest smile. "Amelia has been known to demonstrate admiration towards the creative arts."

"Uh huh," replied Jim, rolling his eyes. The captain, he knew, had a purely mathematical and logical mindset. She would undoubtedly see art---in this case _abstract_ art---as an utter waste of time and effort.

"Roll not your eyes, my boy! As I see it, we have no other alternative," Delbert admonished, irritatingly wagging a finger at Jim's face.

Jim paced the kitchen. "So, if we did this, we would have to have other exhibits, right? I mean, the captain wouldn't fall for it if she only saw a room covered in beans."

The doctor frowned in thought as he realized the truth behind the teenager's words.

Jim plowed on. "We could have one of us posing...like, an interpretive dance!"

Delbert's eyes gleamed. "Oooh! How about a nudist study?"

"WHAT?! You want to stroll around the house _nude_?!"

The doctor looked mildly insulted. "Nonsense, my boy. I would position myself like this---" here he demonstrated by lying on his side and propping up his head with an arm--- "and I would have a sheet wrapped scandalously around my...ahem---"

Jim pressed his hands to his ears. "Doc, enough. I would rather get in trouble for the beans than be caught sketching you naked."

The astrophysicist looked crushed. Obviously, the "Nudist Study a la Delbert" had caught his fancy.

The teen ran jittery fingers through his hair. _What could they do?_ He could hear beans dripping from somewhere within the kitchen.

&&&&&

Meanwhile, Captain Amelia Doppler was walking purposefully towards home. She narrowed her eyes a bit, wondering about Jim Hawkins' progress---if any---and how her ditsy husband had managed during her absence. The officer was pondering this and almost missed the fact that Sarah Hawkins was just a few feet ahead of her.

"Oh! You startled me, Amelia!" laughed the Benbow Inn owner, her blue eyes sparkling.

"That was not my intention," stated the captain crisply. On principle, she found Sarah rather irritating. Jim's mother, in her opinion, was too flimsy and overly fond of household-related issues. Sarah was the kind of person who became excited over a new brand of dish washing detergent.

Sarah pushed back an errant lock of hair. "Well, I see that we're headed off in the same direction. I thought I would pick Jim up," she was explaining.

Amelia glanced at the sky and saw that the sun was slowly getting lower. "I hope Mr. Hawkins has found today worthwhile."

Sarah cast a glance over at the captain. "I know he often makes mistakes---especially when he makes plans with Delbert---but Jim is a hardworking person."

Amelia cracked a rare smile. She was privately fond of James Hawkins and knew that he would make a fine officer in the future. Still, it was all too easy and fun to verbally spar with the young man.

Together, the two women approached the Doppler mansion, which was a dark silhouette against the overcast sky.

"It's rather quiet, don't you think? Maybe they're hard at work," Sarah stated, a proud, motherly look entering her eyes.

Amelia was tempted to roll her eyes. "Indeed. On the other hand, it's possible that your son and my husband have managed to do something idiotic and are cowering inside."

Sarah laid a friendly hand on the captain's shoulder. "Now, now: let's be optimistic!"

Amelia laced her hands behind her back. "Not until we investigate this matter."

A/N: I know, I know: a lousy ending and cliffhanger. Still, I wanted to launch this out so you guys wouldn't think I had abandoned this story. I promise another chapter will shortly be added! So...should Delbert and Jim be doing an art show? Or will they have to settle for the fact that the kitchen is covered in beans? Kaptain Kitty, the uniform idea WILL come up...I haven't forgotten! (I also like the baldness idea...we'll see what happens next!).


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